Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Jan 2014
400 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
For the past five years, Hayley Kincaid and her father, Andy, have been on the road, never staying long in one place as he struggles to escape the demons that have tortured him since his return from Iraq. Now they are back in the town where he grew up so Hayley can attend school. Perhaps, for the first time, Hayley can have a normal life, put aside her own painful memories, even have a relationship with Finn, the hot guy who obviously likes her but is hiding secrets of his own.
Will being back home help Andy's PTSD, or will his terrible memories drag him to the edge of hell, and drugs push him over? The Impossible Knife of Memory is Laurie Halse Anderson at her finest: compelling, surprising, and impossible to put down.
"Starred Review. This is challenging material, but in Anderson's skilled hands, readers will find a light shining on the shadowy reality of living with someone who has lived through war - and who is still at war with himself." - Booklist
"Starred Review. It's a tough, absorbing story ofthe effects of combat on soldiers and the people who love them. Ages 12–up." - Publishers Weekly
"It will not disappoint her legion of fans… Anderson really does know how to write a story that will resonate with teens." - SLJTeen
"This is less a bravura performance than a solid one, but Hayley's strong, wryly vulnerable voice carries the narrative toward a resolutely imperfect, hopeful conclusion." - Kirkus
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Laurie Halse Anderson is the New York Times-bestselling author who writes for kids of all ages. Known for tackling tough subjects with humor and sensitivity, her work has earned numerous international, national, and state awards. She has been nominated three times for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. Two of her books, Speak and Chains, were National Book Award finalists, and Chains was also short-listed for the Carnegie medal.
Link to Laurie Halse Anderson's Website
Name Pronunciation
Laurie Halse Anderson: Halse rhymes with waltz
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